Mayor Don Iveson has taken the unusual step of using his blog to talk about his own vision for the future of Edmonton Northlands, ahead of a special council meeting Wednesday.

"It's not typical practice to float motions ahead of a public hearing, but I wanted to provide the public, Northlands, and other stakeholders with opportunity to provide input on this motion as part of the hearing," Iveson wrote Tuesday on his website, doniveson.ca

He proposes a four-part "potential pathway forward" for the 160-acre Northlands site and the non-profit organization that runs it. Iveson told reporters Tuesday he has shared his ideas with council colleagues and thinks the motion will find good support.

Image | Northlands rendering Rexall convert multi-ice rinks

Caption: Rexall Place would be converted to a six or seven rink recreational arena. (Supplied)

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"I've made it quite clear that I don't think there's a public appetite — I don't have appetite, I don't think council has appetite — to invest upwards of $200- to $300-million in a facility expansion at Northlands until we can get the basic operations in hand, until we can look at conference centre integration, until we can explore all the partnerships that might be necessary to make something like the arena repurpose work," he said.

"Northlands is in a challenging fiscal position for a variety of reasons, related partly to concerts but also to declining horse racing and also to the under-performing convention centre, and my motion seeks to address the convention centre side of things, the (arena) re-purpose feasibility, and an alternative long-term development scenario besides the festival site."

Councillors on Wednesday will discuss the city administration's recent scathing analysis of Vision 2020, an ambitious plan for the reinvention of the 160-acre Northlands site prepared by Edmonton Northlands.

Vision 2020 would see Northlands Coliseum — the former Rexall Place — repurposed as a multiplex facility with seven ice sheets. The horse racing track and casino would be converted into a festival site. The Expo Centre's Hall D would become a 5,000-seat concert and sports venue.

Northlands officials pitched the plan to city council in March. City staffers responded to it last week, describing parts of it as insufficiently detailed and difficult to justify.

Where Northlands had estimated redevelopment costs at $165-million, the city said it would actually cost $235-million. Northlands also wants the city to forgive a $47-million loan for the Expo Centre.

Iveson proposes that city staff start preliminary design work to repurpose the Coliseum into a multiplex arena.

He wants staff to work with Northlands and Edmonton Economic Development Corp. to find a way for the Expo Centre and Shaw Conference Centre to come together under a single manager — Northlands, EEDC or a new agency.

Iveson also recommends that city staff develop terms of reference and cost estimates for a new area redevelopment plan that would address future options for the horse barns and racetrack site.

Finally, the mayor proposes that Northlands be granted one year of deferral on its Expo Centre debt payments -- but only if the organization works with the city on other elements of Iveson's plan and carries out "governance reforms." Another year of debt deferral would be contingent on Northlands submitting a sustainable business plan to council by June 30, 2017.

Iveson told reporters how the various elements of his plan would fit together.

The Expo Centre and Shaw Conference Centre would stop competing against each other for events. The Coliseum, repurposed as a multiplex for tournaments, would help support a privately-built hotel attached to the Expo Centre.

The hotel would make the Expo Centre a more competitive location for conventions. And more business at the Expo Centre would help Northlands with its operating deficit and the $47 million it still owes the city for the Expo Centre.

The plan would also involve renovations to the Coliseum LRT station so it connects directly to the Expo Centre and hotel, Iveson said.

"It's not an overnight fix, but it's setting us up for a long-term stronger economic impact when it comes to events and conventions and tourism."